Ludusavi

Ludusavi is a free Rust utility for protecting PC game saves across a very large catalog. It is best suited to players with libraries spread across several storefronts and to technically minded users who want scripted or cloud-backed routines. Its broad format coverage is compelling, although restoring across different operating systems is not automatic.

Overview

Ludusavi covers more than 19,000 games and allows custom entries for titles outside its standard definitions. It recognizes libraries such as Steam, GOG, Epic, Heroic and Lutris, along with other game libraries, making it a practical central backup tool for mixed collections. Its backup definitions are organized through the Ludusavi Manifest, whose information is primarily sourced from PCGamingWiki.

The project is MIT licensed and distributed as portable executables for Windows, Linux and Mac, with Winget, Scoop, Flatpak and Cargo options also listed. GitHub issues and discussions provide community support, while Crowdin is used for translation contributions. For more category choices, see the Game Save Managers list.

Key features

• Wide save coverage: It handles ordinary file saves, Windows registry saves, Steam Proton saves and Steam screenshots, rather than limiting protection to a single save-folder pattern.
• Graphical and command-line workflows: The GUI supports manual operation, while the CLI is suited to repeatable scripts. Its api command accepts bulk JSON requests and supports JSON schemas for both input and output, giving automation projects a structured interface.
• Playnite integration: A Playnite extension brings Ludusavi into that launcher workflow, which can be preferable to maintaining a separate backup application window.
• Cloud storage through Rclone: Rclone integration supports remotes including Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, FTP, SMB and WebDAV, so users can connect storage they already operate instead of being tied to one hosted service.
• Synchronization safeguards: Automatic synchronization checks local and cloud copies before uploading changes and warns about conflicts. That makes it more suitable for ongoing sync than a simple one-way archive.
• Backup scheduling and history: Automatic backups, scheduled backups and version history support both routine protection and recovery from earlier states. Game detection and restore options are provided in both modes.
• Security control: Runtime settings govern certificate and hostname validation for downloads. Safe validation is the default; an unsafe option disables it, so changing that setting should be reserved for situations where the trade-off is understood.

Pricing

There is no subscription, seat allowance or storage quota attached to this plan. Cloud capacity and account terms therefore come from the Rclone remote you choose, rather than from Ludusavi itself. This is a strong fit for users willing to manage their own storage; readers wanting a bundled hosted service should compare alternatives with explicit storage plans.

Platforms

Ludusavi supports Windows, Linux and macOS, with API and extension interfaces in addition to its desktop availability. Its cross-operating-system boundary matters: it does not automatically support backing up on one operating system and restoring on another. That makes it a better choice for protecting saves within a consistent environment than for frictionless migration between operating systems.

Who it's for

Choose Ludusavi if you need one free tool for a large, mixed PC library, including Proton data and registry-based saves, or if you want command-line automation and Rclone-backed storage. Scheduled jobs, version history and conflict-aware synchronization also suit users who want an ongoing backup routine rather than occasional manual copies.

Look elsewhere if your primary requirement is automatic cross-OS transfer, or if you prefer a service that supplies storage, quotas and account management in one package.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Coverage for more than 19,000 games plus custom entries; support for major PC storefronts and several save formats; GUI, CLI and JSON API workflows; broad Rclone destination support; scheduled backups, version history and conflict warnings; free MIT-licensed distribution.
• Cons: Cross-OS backup and restore is not automatic; cloud storage requires an Rclone remote and its associated provider; disabling certificate and hostname validation creates a less secure download configuration.

Alternatives

Checkpoint64 is worth considering if you want a freemium service with a 20 MiB free space per space, one team and limited team participation, plus a paid Pro tier at €5 a month billed monthly.

SaveState suits readers seeking local backups with optional cloud sync across Android, Linux, macOS and Windows, without requiring an account.

EmuSync is a free option for API, Linux and Windows users with no subscription or paywall.

Game Backup Monitor may fit Linux and Windows users who want open-source backups, unlimited games and 7-Zip compression, while cloud use requires their own provider and sync client.

Game Save Genie is an alternative for users who want no subscription and prefer using their own cloud storage across Linux, macOS, self-hosted and Windows setups.

Hoard is another freemium choice for Linux, macOS, self-hosted and Windows users.

OpenSave targets users wanting free, open-source software with no subscription, ads or telemetry across API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted and Windows.

QSave is a free, open-source macOS and Windows tool focused on backing up game saves to your own Google Drive.

Verdict

Ludusavi is the right choice for players who want unusually broad game and save-format coverage, multiple interfaces and provider-flexible cloud synchronization without paying for the software. Its main reason to look elsewhere is the lack of automatic cross-operating-system restore, especially for users whose priority is seamless migration rather than comprehensive backup control.